Lancia MonteCarlo: red coupe from 1980
The Lancia Montecarlo (Type 137) is a Pininfarina-designed mid-engined sports car produced by Lancia in Italy from 1975 to 1981.
Cars from the first series, which were produced from 1975 to 1978, were known as Lancia Beta Montecarlos and those from the second series, produced from 1980 to 1981, simply as Lancia Montecarlos.In both cases Montecarlo was spelled as one word, unlike Monte Carlo in the Principality of Monaco.
Both series were offered in Coupé and Spider versions, the latter featuring a unique roll-back manually operated targa style convertible top. A modified version of the Spider was sold in the United States as the Lancia Scorpion during 1976 and 1977.
Total production numbers come to 7,798 units, with production spanning from 1974 until 1982 with an interruption in 1979. 3,558 first series and 817 second series targas were built; 2,080 first series and 1,123 second series coupés. There were also 220 competition models built (Lancia 037).
Fiat was seeking a replacement for its 124 Coupe so Pininfarina was commissioned to design and develop the replacement. However, Bertone came up with cheaper alternative, which became the Fiat X1/9. Pininfarina continued with its project called Fiat X1/8 that called for a mid-engined sports car with a 3-litre V6 motor. The X1/8 project was to be Pininfarina’s first ever car to be wholly developed and built in house rather than basing on existing production car. Initial design work was done by 1969, and a final design was completed in 1971 by Paolo Martin.
